Cheat Codes: On
by Maxxus Herald
Summary: For some reason I thought it would be a good idea to input a cheat code from Megas XLR while playing Final Fantasy. Originally, this code sent Coop and his giant robot into an alternate universe. It wasn't supposed to do anything on my old Playstation! Man... what am I going to have to do to get back? Play the Sims? [Self-Insert, Before Crisis and onward]
1. Chapter 001

**Author's Notes: Okay, so... yeah. Had a plot bunny, it enticed me with its magical allure, and then I spent many a night in bed with it.**

**... Rather, thinking about it. ... No, that doesn't sound any better.**

**Anyway, had an Idea, needed to get it out so I could work on my other fanfictions.**

**Current list of things I'm actually actively thinking about and writing:**

**-Critical Hit! Massively Effective!**

**-This Merry Ol' Mercenary Band**

**-Cheat Codes: On**

**-[A Fate/Stay Night fic that revolves around a person Zelretch brings in because he thinks it'd be interesting]**

**Disclaimer: Own Final Fantasy VII, I do not. Like to mimic Yoda, I do.**

* * *

**Cheat Codes: On**

**Chapter 001**

**Trans D Drive Cheat: On**

* * *

**Location: Somewhere near Mt. Nibel**

**Date and Time: Unknown, Unknown**

I'm running. My breathing is ragged. My legs are sore. I've got a black eye, a bloody nose, and numerous scratches cover my body. Still, I'm alive and running.

The tall pines prevent me from seeing the sky. The rocky terrain, combined with the many near misses with the randomly strewn about cliffs, prevent me from moving as fast as I'd like. With a nibel wolf hot on my heels, I need every ounce of speed I can muster.

Now, some may wonder why I'm being chased by a nibel wolf. Some may even recognize it as a fictional enemy from that old classic for the Playstation. At the moment, I am wondering just one thing.

_How did it come to this?_

* * *

**_Location: Indianapolis, Indiana_**

**_Date and Time: 2/13/2013, 8:37 PM_**

_I'm happy. In fact, I am very happy. Today was a good day._

_I got a decent amount of tips, deposited my paycheck at the bank, then came home and screwed around for a few hours. I had a good dinner with my family, got some studying done for class, and teased my brother all the while._

_It was a good day._

_It's been getting even better, though. For the past hour or so, I've been studying and making notes on one of my few passions. That is, I've been filling blank notebooks with everything relevant I could find._

_The fact that the 'facts' I find are from fictional media doesn't bother me. The fact that I like to use old styles of books, with either mostly blank hard covers or leather bindings, doesn't bother me. The fact that I lug most of them around in a sidebag that says 'Bag of Holding' on it doesn't bother me, though my back occasionally protests. _

_No, the only thing about my love of magic, fictional as it may be, that bugs me at all is the ridicule I get every now and then. Even with that, though, it doesn't bother me much. I just love magic._

_Comparing systems, styles, rules, methods, results, efficiency, idiologies, and cultural impact? Making page after page of notes on incantations, circles, runes, lore, and effects? Imagining the mass destruction the utterance of a single line could cause, stave off, or heal? Yeah, that sounds like a good time to me. Only if it's about magic, though._

_Currently, I am writing down what I can about Materia and magic from Final Fantasy VII. However, it seems I need some more data than I can find on the internet or in my various guidebooks. I may need to play through the game again to properly comprehend how Materia 'uses the knowledge of the Ancients' to cast spells. It sounds fairly straightforward, but why does no one remember the spells after a certain amount of use? Surely it would be burned into their minds since 'a shock triggered by the human brain is required,' regardless of how it drains the caster's mental stamina._

_I have considered that such a method could do just enough harm to prevent the spell from sticking in their mind, but surely there is some way to retain such knowledge? In addition, MP is mental stamina instead of actual magical energy. What, then, is the power source for that world's mystic arts? I don't remember the game very well since I last played it so long ago, so I must believe that at least some of the answers are in there._

_As I pop in my copy of the game into the Playstation 2, I realize I don't know where my PS1 memory card is. "Gah. Man, what'd I do with that thing?" I complain aloud. I consider playing without it for a moment since I'd be starting a new game anyway, but I quickly toss out the thought. If only because I'd like to know where my completed save file is._

_I start rummaging around my room, but don't seem to find it. I do, however, find some of my goodies I bought at Gencon. A glass 'potion bottle' and its leather holder with a loop for the belt, a pair of belt pouches designed after the ninja equipment in Naruto, and a bandolier with four pockets and a hole to sheathe a 6 inch knife. _Since I'm in such good mood, I think I'll make an adventure out of this.

_I change into my favorite red sweater and pair of worn, old, patched up blue jeans. I then pack as if I'm going on a camping trip, making sure to stuff an extra Bag of Holding with a mess kit, toiletries, sewing kit, first aid kit, firestarting kit, and extra wool socks and underpants.__ I fill up two canteens of water, grab my pocket knife, a box of granola bars and a few cans of food. Oh, and three ponchos, just in case. I grab a set of thermal underwear as well. It's cold this time of year, you know._

_Of course, I don't go anywhere without my bag of books, so I need to pack that too. All of my notebooks on magic not already in my first Bag of Holding get carefully placed in the second. I grab some game guides, as well as my binders full of complete information on certain fantasy worlds, and an almanac or two, just in case._

_By the time I put on my boots and figure out how to get all this on my person without burdening myself too much, I figure I really only need to play up to Kalm. The tutorials where Cloud explains how to use Materia should be enough, right? I shouldn't need my save files._

* * *

**Location: Somewhere near Mt. Nibel**

**Date and Time: Unknown, Unknown**

I shake my head, knowing I don't have time to waltz down memory lane. I can hear the wolf's barking loud and clear, meaning it can't be too far behind. If anyone ever asks, I will let them know that 'not too far behind' is also known as 'far too close.'

The trees are starting to thin as I climb higher up the mountain, and the sun begins to peek through the canopy. In hindsight, I should have started running down the mountian. I might've found a settlement by now.

I hear two more sources of barking now. Great, the wolf called its friends. The ground is getting even more rocky as I run, and the cover the trees had occasionally provided is quickly disappearing. I can see the sun cast either mid-morning or mid-afternoon shadows. I don't know which.

As the vegetation thins further, I can start to see a large cliff. On that large cliff may be my salvation, for I can see a rope bridge. Bridges are built by people, and I really need some help.

Rushing forward now, I suddenly slip on some deceptively loose rock. I put out my hands to catch myself and end up cutting them on the stone. The pain makes me fall on my side, knocking the wind out of me. Out of the corner of my eye, I can see the two of the wolves closing in from the sides. The largest one is already in the air with its maw wide open!

_Am I really going to die here?_

* * *

**_Location: Indianapolis, Indiana_**

**_Date and Time: 2/13/2013, 11:56 PM_**

_All right, perfect game so far. I __wasted a little time, so I'm walking into Kalm in just a few hours. I didn't find out the information I wanted, but that's all right with me. I'd almost forgotten how fun this game is. Now that I remember, I figured I might as well finish what I said I would. The flashback sequence is going smoothly, and I'm about to mess with the piano. Now if only I can remember the how to play that one song..._

_No, I don't remember in the slightest. However... this sort of reminds me of the in-game cheat codes in other games. Like in Banjo-Kazooie, where you had to ground-pound the cheat code into the floor. I wonder if any of the codes I know will work here? I mean, this would be the place to do it._

_Okay, let's try the Konami Code! ... Wait, that won't work. There isn't an A or B button on the Playstation controller. What about the Golden Sun: The Lost Age renaming code? It doesn't need an A or B button. ...__Nope, that didn't work. Let's see... How about the button combo for the Hadouken? ...__Nope._

_Well, okay. None of these seem to be doing anything, and I doubt button mashing is going to get me anything. If it did, the code would be up on the net by now._

_Ah, there is a cheat code I remember seeing recently, though I doubt it will do anything at all. I mean, Megas XLR came out after Final Fantasy VII, so there's no way it would work. Still, why not? Let's give it a whirl._

Up, Up, Circle, Square, Right, Triangle, Down, Circle, Circle, Left...

_Yeah... Nothing. It's fine, I didn't expect anything anyw- Huh? I'm glowing? Why? Oh crap! Don't tell me it actually-!_

* * *

**Location: Somewhere on Mt. Nibel**

**Date and Time: Unknown, Unknown**

Transported me across dimensions. Universes. Realities, whatever! The code shouldn't have even worked without Megas's messed up layout and a Transdimensional Drive, of which I had neither! Somehow, I got sent to this forest after putting in the code.

"What does this mean for me?" I asked myself when I first figured it out. Well, it means I'm going to die via a video game monster wolf thing, just because I wanted to screw around with cheat codes I didn't think would work! I'm boned!

Those teeth are getting closer. I can smell the dog's breath. I can see the hunger in its eyes.

It starts to descend upon me. I raise my arm. It bites down, causing pain to fill my mind.

I start to tear up, making it even harder to see. I let a whimper escape from my throat. I am afraid of what comes next.

_I am going to die._

I hear a loud crunch, followed by a dull thud. Then another. The wolf releases me, growling loudly as it turns around... and is sent flying with that loud, bone shattering crunch. Rather, a bone shattering _punch._

I do a double take through my blurry vision. Yes, that is indeed a fist that sent that wolf flying. I don't hear the other wolves either, which means...

"You don't look so good. Here, let me help," I hear the man's rough voice say kindly.

He kneels over me with a glowing, marble-sized green orb. I can't really see his face, but, judging from the blob of white, he seems to be old. I hear him mutter something, and a warmth fills me. It's small, but the soothing heat covers my whole being.

As it does, I start feeling... better. My wounds close up, the shiner on my eye disappears, and my energy seems to return to me. It takes another casting of the spell to fully heal the bite, though.

"Thank you..." I manage to warble, my voice not yet normalized from my near death experience. My first brush with death, ever, was really scary, and I'm just a bit emotional right now. Honestly, just thanking this guy is almost enough to set me crying again.

_How embarrassing._

I sit up slowly, my body still sore from all the running. _Apparently healing spells don't take care of lactic acid. Perhaps due to it being a natural process?_

It feels much worse now that the adrenaline has worn off. As soon as I'm upright, wipe my eyes of tears. When I can finally see, I am surprised.

I think anyone else might be surprised as well, considering I was just saved by Zangan. Zangan, traveling martial arts master and the one who teaches Tifa to fight. If I recall correctly, I was just saved by a _legend._

My surprise must be showing, because the old man in the red cape just put on a knowing smile. There was nothing else it could mean. Actually, it could mean that he knows the fear I had, but I'm certain it means he knows I know who he is.

He offers me his gloved hand, which I gratefully take. After a moment of staring in amazement at his scarred and well-muscled arms, that is. _Dang! How much action do you have to see to get like that?_

He pulls me up to my feet with a quick jerk. Unfortunately, I realize just how badly I had strained myself only now that I'm standing. I'm not sure I'll be able to walk, even if I have the energy to do so.

Once again, Zangan shows his observational skills by asking if I would like help to the nearest village. I accept happily. This, funnily enough, leads to him carrying me bridal-style down the mountain. Every now and then we encounter monsters, but he never has to put me down to fight them off.

No doubt about it, Zangan is a badass.

It's a bit uncomfortable, but we're making good time. The sun is beginning to sink, so it must be evening time. About halfway down the mountain, he asks me a slightly confusing question. "So, you're a survivor of the Sacae?"

I look up at him, but he refuses to meet my gaze. In fact, it looks like he's looking somewhere else entirely. Rather, somewhere aside from the path in front of him.

Okay, that needs some investigating. Sacae was the name of the great plains in 'Fire Emblem 6: Sword of Seals' and 'Fire Emblem 7: The Blazing Sword.' Knowing that, I really can't contain my curiousity.

"Sacae?" I ask with heartfelt confusion, hoping it will convince him to spill what he knows.

Zangan stays silent, still refusing to look at me as he carries my dead weight. I close my eyes and sigh in dissapointment. _I really wanted to know..._

"What's your name, young man?" he says suddenly, his rough voice cutting off any potential thoughts. Meaning I answer without thinking.

"Caelin," I near blurt. Unfortunately for me, that is nowhere near my real name. Oh well, I'll just have to run with it. I hope lying to Zangan doesn't come back to bite me later.

When he doesn't speak any further, I open my eyes to check his mood. Surprisingly, he doesn't seem to notice. His gaze is probably on some far off memory. He's old, so I suppose it isn't unreasonable to think he has memories he can get lost in.

I just hope it isn't a bad one.

* * *

**Location: Nibelheim Inn**

**Date and Time: May 23, [ μ ] εуλ 0000, 9:40 AM**

I stare absently at my plate as I stab the scrambled eggs with my fork. My long hair is in a mess, I'm sore as hell, and I still don't have any answers as to how I got here.

The red-caped old man in the seat across the table from me doesn't seem as bothered as he did last night, so that's good. In fact, he seems quite happy now that he's explained thing. However, he gave me instructions to keep my mouth shut until he could start teaching me how to speak the right language. Naturally, this makes me grumpy.

However, he was not wrong to do so. From what I can hear from the people around me, they don't speak English in Nibelheim. No, they are clearly speaking German, and any attempts I could make at communication would be wasted.

I look up at Zangan again, hoping he'll tell me something, anything that could possibly be good news. He doesn't say a word, though. So, eating my food as quickly as I comfortably can, I mentally go over the recent events since coming to town.

* * *

_**Location: Nibelhiem Inn Room**_

_**Date and Time: May 23, [ μ ] εуλ 0000, 8:04 AM**_

_The sun had long set by the time we made it to town. I had rested enough during the trip that I thought I could walk, but I was mistaken. The old martial arts master had to help me limp to the inn due to my constant cramping. Aside from my attempts to keep my whimpering down, the entire trip had been made in silence._

_It was late enough that no one was awake to see us. Zangan even had to wake up the Innkeeper so he could pay for our room. As soon as my head had hit the pillow and my cramping had died down, I fell asleep within moments._

_Waking up, however, is nowhere near as pleasant. I'm sore, I'm tired, and the sun coming in the window makes me want to shoot it. That is, if I could shoot sunlight to any visible effect._

_"You're awake," I hear someone say. "Get up, there's a shower waiting for you at the end of the hall. I'll explain things once you're clean."_

_My first thought? _Oh yeah, that's Zangan.

_My second is about answers, and how badly I wanted them. Suffice to say, I hurry off to the bathroom._

_I have to admit that I didn't expect showers, even though I know they exist in this world. I mean, when I think of 'fantasy,' a nice, hot shower isn't the first thing that comes to mind. If I have to think about fantasy worlds and their bathing, I end up wondering what they use for soap._

_I look down at the bar in my hand. _Shit. I will spent the entire shower wondering about that now.

* * *

**Location: Nibelheim Inn**

**Date and Time: May 23, [ μ ] εуλ 0000, 9:46 AM**

I'm jolted from my thoughts by a heavy hand landing on my shoulder. Startled, I look over my shoulder to see Zangan. He nods toward the stairs, then turns and walks that way.

I realize he wants me to follow, so he's probably going back to our room to further discuss the situation. That's a great relief for me. I have still have many, many questions I will be hoping he can answer.

I look back at my plate to make sure I finish all my food, only to realize I had eaten it all while thinking. I frown. Considering I hadn't been thinking that long, I must have wolfed it down.

_Oh well. At least it didn't go to waste._

I start on my way back to the room as well. As I climb the stairs, I get lost thinking about what he has already told me so far. It's all just so... unbelievable.

* * *

_**Location: Nibelhiem Inn Room**_

_**Date and Time: May 23, [ μ ] εуλ 0000, 8:18 AM**_

_"If you go southeast of a small town known as Kalm, you'll find a wide, grassy plain where you can find wild Chocobo. Those are the plains of Sacae... although, no one calls them that anymore. That name, along with the people who lived there, have all but been wiped from the face of the planet," Zangan expains from his seat on the bed. He does so without promping as soon as I had shut and locked the door behind me._

_"The people of Sacae were a proud, nomadic folk that lived and traveled in tribes, and often wielded bows and katanas. The Sacaeans were well known for their tracking, riding, and hunting skills as well. When an invading force appeared, whether it be bandits or an army, the tribes would all band together and cut the enemy down. Their Chocobo mounted archers were feared by many, and the number of invaders cut down by their skilled bladework is not few."_

_He pauses, his face set carefully so as to avoid showing emotion. I take the chance to pull up the desk chair and take a seat. I must admit, I am genuinely interested. So far, these Sacaeans sound exactly like the ones from Fire Emblem, if you were to replace their horses with Chocobos._

_"They were a diverse people, with some tribes looking Wutaian and others Continental. Their customs and traditions were as many as the stars in the sky, and they valued independence and freedom more than anything else. However, they were often looked down upon by the more 'civilized' people as 'barbarians' because of their stubborn, and often simple, way of life."_

_Okay, that's new. The Sacaeans from Fire Emblem were more like Native Americans in dress and attitudes. They might've wielded katanas, looked Japanese, and had funky green hair, but they were a definite race of people. Not at all like the mixed fruit bowl like the old man is telling me about._

_Zangan continues without stopping though, so I almost miss what he says. "Before the Wutai War, there was a different war. A war with Sacae. Shinra thought that the plains would have plenty of Mako since people lived there. It was a trend that seemed to hold true just about everywhere they went. They were wrong, though. The plains that aren't right next to the marsh are dry, and the like nomads had to cycle through areas often so as to not kill the land._

___The people of Midgar, having never grown up on the plains, didn't know this. President Shinra didn't care for the teachings of the people who lived there. He just wanted their land. So, in 1981, the Shinra Power Electric Company sent a representative to Sacae in order to secure a deal to build a reactor._ After a discussion with the major tribe chiefs about how the reactors work, the representative was chased back to Midgar with a message. 'Shinra is an enemy of Sacae.'"

_Zangan stops and lowers his head. From here, I can clearly tell that this personal for him. He closes his eyes and takes a few deep breaths before saying more. His speech is filled with pauses even then._

_"__The Shinra knew that they would never get a sneak attack in on the Sacaeans. Their senses were too sharp, and the plains far too open. So they marched right up to the entrance, a valley between two mountain ranges. They found the gathered Sacaean warriors waiting._

_ In one enormous battle, the plains were dyed red. It was short, but also extremely brutal. The men and the women, the elders and the children, it didn't matter to the company. They were all to be killed. __A few managed to escape with their families, but most fought to the death._

_Once the fighting stopped, Shinra owned the plains. He was about to start making plans for a celebration when the scientists told him that there wasn't enough Mako in the plains for a reactor. He went into a rage and had the survivors hunted down._

_In the end, only one family returned, though they deny being Sacaean. I believe they use their knowledge of Chocobo raising and breeding to run a ranch, now."_

_My face lights up with recognition of the Chocobo Ranch. Who knew that the Grassland Area had such a history? Certainly not me. Still, as interesting as it all is... I didn't hear why he thought I was from Sacae. I didn't miss anything, did I?_

_I voice my thoughts. Zangan just chuckles. At me, no doubt._

_"The Sacaeans tribes were many, and each often had different their own language. To keep the peace between them, a common tongue that they called Anglish was made. You were speaking it when I found you."_

_My eyes widen in surprise. _Wait, what?

_ The martial arts master shakes his head, reading my thoughts like a book. "During the hunts, seeing if they could speak Anglish was the only good method of telling who was Sacaean and who wasn't. As a people, they were just too diverse. They could blend in anywhere._

_The worst part about the hunts is that no one cared. The Sacaeans weren't connected to anyone who didn't see them as savages. They were simply too independent. Too self-reliant and self-sustaining. They never needed help for anything before. They had no reason to interact with the world at large._

_So when the time came that they did need help, they couldn't communicate with the rest of the world. They could try, but only the elders and chiefs could speak Continental, and by the time Sacaean pride would allow them to ask for help, they were all dead."_

_He pauses again, this time for a long time. As I wait, I realize he must have been there to say all this with such certainty. I also realize I should come up with a cover story. I don't think he'll believe that I got here by using a cheat code._

* * *

**Location: Nibelheim Inn, 2nd Floor**

**Date and Time: May 23, [ μ ] εуλ 0000, 9:53 AM**

_And then he offered to buy me breakfast._

Finished with my mental recounting of events, I realize I've been staring out the second story window for a while now. I berate myself for losing track of time, but I don't try to pull away. The scene is rather beautiful.

I just need to soak it in, I think. I mean... this is really Nibelheim. The real one, not some pixilized game map. It really is somewhat unbelievable. Scratch that, it's completely unbelievabe. Regardless of how believable it is, though, here I am, gazing at it from the second story window.

The grass is pretty green and the trees look healthy, which I find surprising since this town is so close to a Mako Reactor. The people look busy getting ready for the day. There are a bunch of people in the square with swords and what appear to be hunting rifles. With some short observation it becomes fairly obvious that a hunting party is being organized. I wonder what they might be hunting, but that thought is quickly replaced when I see a young, spiky-haired blonde rush out of his house with a blade that's just too large for him.

_Cloud..._

He's a kid, so can't be any older than fourteen, period. The official timeline said he made his promise to Tifa in December, then left to join SOLDIER soon after. That happened supposedly about seven years before the start of the original game, in which he was twenty-one.

I should have printed out a copy of the official timeline. I imagine that would help me immensely. There's no way I'm going to remember everything by the time the events of the games come around.

Kid Cloud seems to be talking to the armed group, but he just gets scolded. I watch him walk back home, his shoulders drooping and a sulking pout on his face the entire way. I kind of want to laugh, but at the same time I want to comfort him.

It isn't my problem, though, so I should stay out of it. Besides, I couldn't comfort him if I wanted to. I can't speak German.

Remembering that Zangan is waiting for me, I hurry back to the room, taking long strides and walking as quietly as possible. Someone might still be sleeping, after all. Just because I'm rushing doesn't mean I should be a dick and wake people up.

I grab the doorknob, but I'm struck by an unsettling thought before I actually enter.

_What happens if he calls me on my story? Worse, what if he calls me on it and asks me to tell the truth? What will happen then? Will he help? Not help? Outright refuse? Maybe he'll knock me out and keep me confined until he can get a Heal Materia, thinking I'm Confused? Although-_

"Are you coming in or not?" Zangan's gruff voice calls out, muffled, through the door.

I scurry on in, thinking I upset him by taking too long. I only realizing he isn't mad upon seeing his amused face. I sheepishly close and lock the door, then sit myself on the nearest chair.

It's good, long, awkward moment as I try to figure out what I want to say. I look around at the room to try to calm myself. Fortunately, it's not the same room from the game. That one had three beds, I think. This one only has one.

There's a rectangular rug in the middle of the floor, and a bed across the room from the work desk I'm sitting at. There is a nightstand next to the bed with a small potted plant on it, and hanging from the ceiling is a fan and light fixture combo. It really isn't that large of a room.

_ What do I want to say? Should I start with my cover? Should I tell the truth? Should I grab something from my bag and bullshit my way through it all?_

I admit to myself that I am very afraid he'll abandon me. I can't speak the local language, and small towns tend to not particularly care for outsiders. Zangan is likely the only reason I'm as calm as I am.

Accidently transporting youself into a video game and then nearly dying is somewhat stressful.

Zangan is watching me, expecting something. I don't know what, but it doesn't matter. I don't want to be alone in this place. I decide to talk first.

"I don't know anything about that. I could pick up a bit of what you told me here and there from some stories in my hometown, but my parents never spoke of such things," I tell him, making sure to look in his general direction without actually focusing my eyes on him. "My mother looks Wutaian and my father looks Continental. Our house was a two story building in a small wooded area, so we didn't have to deal with neighbors. At least, that's what my dad always said."

I take a long breath before continuing, knowing I could only say the truth. It just wouldn't feel right to lie. If he doesn't pick up on the stuff I'm leaving out, that'll be his problem. "There were no monsters there. A few really mean people, but no monsters. The boys would sometimes be trained as Scouts, learning to swim, tie knots, and survive in the wilderness. There were plenty of things to learn as a Boy Scout. Even so, I... I just wanted to learn magic."

I look away, hesitant to keep going. Ultimately, a gentle urging from the old man got me talking again. "I... was playing around yesterday, and put a sequence of symbols that I didn't think would do anything into a device I thought was not magical. I ended up in the woods on the mountain, and I think you know the rest."

I let out a sigh of worry. "Sir... Please help me. I don't know what to do."

_I don't know how to fight really. I don't know how to cast real magic. I don't know if I'll ever find a way back home, or even if I'll manage to survive in this place. If I am to be completely honest with myself, I am afraid. If a Turk hears me speak like this, I'll be identified as a Sacaean. Bam! I'm dead. If I'm kicked out into the wild, forget my wilderness survival merit badge. I can survive the wild, but not the wild monsters. Bam! Dead._

It seems like a long time that I spend thinking, just going around and around my options in my head. I come to the conclusion that Zangan is my only hope over and over. There's no avoiding it. I can fire a shotgun, but I have no money. I can shoot a bow, but I'm not that great at it. I simply can't fight.

The martial arts master cuts into my thoughts. "You know, I have a reputation for teaching children martial arts," he states simply, assuming that I had known of him from his reputation. "Well then, I guess I'd better start training you then. I'll teach you to speak Continental since it appears you can't, and then we'll work on your people's arts."

After I process what he just said, my head snaps up so fast I think I almost break it. A wide grin springs onto my face as I realize he's going to help me. A great weight is lifted off my shoulders since I know I am in capable hands.

And all good feelings vanish as I see that excited, devilish grin on his face and the maniacal laughter in his eyes.

"Just so you know, I only _teach_ martial arts to children. Adults, I _train_."

The color drains from my face. I nearly piss myself from the aura of menace and power that he is giving off. His chuckle seems to made of evil and sadistic glee.

He gets up from his seat and walks to the door. As he is about to leave, he turns his head to look at me over his shoulder. Master Martial Artist Zangan then summarizes what his training will entail with two words.

"Don't die."

* * *

**Author's Note: Hooray~ Got a chapter up and running!**

**I know there's a lot of flashbacking in this chapter, but I don't intend to do that too much. I have enough of those planned to last a lifetime, and I don't need more than one every few chapters. One a chapter, at the most!**

**Anyway, yeah. That's that.**

**Take care, and I hope you return for the next chapter!**

**-Maxxus Herald**


	2. Chapter 002

**Author's Notes: Next Chapter! Huzz-yay! =D**

**Sorry it took so long. Stuff happened. Don't particularly feel like talking about it, simply because bleh blah blah bleh bluh. So there.**

**Disclaimer: All you have to do is _repeat after_ _me._ Flee. Flee Fly. Flee Fly Floe~. Kumalatta Kumalatta Kumalatta Vista. Oh~ No~ No Not Devista. Eenie Meanie Testameanie Oowa~lawallameanie. Bee Diddly Oh Doht Bobo Badeet'n'dot, Bobo Badeet'n'dot Buzz Buzz Buzz! Oh yeah. All right. One more time.**

**... No, I don't own that camp song, either.**

* * *

**Cheat Codes: On**

**Chapter 002**

** Have Nibelheim Key Items Cheat: On**

* * *

**Location:** **Somewhere on Mt. Nibel**

**Date and Time: May 30, [ μ ] εуλ 0000, 8:33 AM**

"Oh dear God, why did I ever think this was a good idea?!" I shout, running not from the now familiar pack of Nibel Wolves, but from a red-caped old man who made this the first step of my training.

_Training. Ha!_

It has been one week since my 'training' has started, and I am currently covered in painful bruises. The local pack of Nibel Wolves tried to interfere at first, but Zangan beat them into submission. The pack and I have made a silent pact to cover for each other so that we may both survive. It might actually just be me making assumptions, but I ignore that possibility since I need all the hope I can muster right now.

The martial arts master bellows, "DODGE!" but doesn't even wait to finish that one word before kicking me lightly in the back of the head. It should be noted that his 'light' kick still sent me flipping through the air. Two of the wolves catch me, and all of us take off again as soon as my feet touch the ground.

Truthfully, although he makes me fear for my life, his training is very effective. The very fact that I'm alive is a testament to his ability to teach, no matter how traumatizing it is. He has to be, when his training plan is merely him lowering the skill level he fights at and tells me to survive.

It is a truly scary thing. I would not wish this training on anyone. _I am so sorry Kenichi. I will never laugh at you for your predicament again._

In one week, I have nearly died so many times that I lost count. Master Zangan has cast Cure so many times that his materia leveled up at some point. I've gotten pretty fast and agile, just trying to not die.

"DODGE!" Just not agile enough.

_Hello tree. Good night._

* * *

_**Location: Somewhere on Mt. Nibel**_

_**Date and Time: May 23, [ μ ] εуλ 0000, 11:02 AM**_

_Master Zangan has, for whatever reason, led me back up the mountain. Normally, I'm fine with hiking. I was a Boy Scout for years, after all. I could keep going for hours since I have no tent and only a light sleeping bag. I have the rest of my things, of course, but that goes without saying._

_I am confused, however. Zangan said that he'd teach me Continental first, then train me. Why are we going back up the mountain, where all of the monsters are? He said to not die, but I really hope that this training of his doesn't include monsters._

* * *

**Location: Somewhere on Mt. Nibel, Zangan's Campsite**

**Date and Time: May 30, [ μ ] εуλ 0000, 8:50 AM**

An splash of cold water wakes me, abruptly cutting off my dreaming memory of a week ago. I sit up immediately, eyes on alert and checking the area in case I need to run. Again.

However, I do not see the familiar red cape, nor do I feel the horrible pressure of its owner's powerful aura. I am instead greeted by a different old man, one with a small grey goatee and that odd semi-circle of hair that happens when elderly men bald. This man just so happens to be wearing a deep blue robe, long and with many folds.

"Inside the tent with me, it appears that there is a wizard," I say, not really realizing that I've opened my mouth and said something stupid.

The old man just smiles. It's a kind smile, if not a little patronizing. As if I haven't seen enough of the world to even know what I'm talking about. As if I were a child, and he were commenting on how cute and adorable I am. All in all, a smile that told me to obey, because I'd just realized that Zangan is right outside the tent and wouldn't let people in here with me if he didn't know and trust them with my health.

He raises he hand swiftly, fast enough that I didn't even see it happen, and snaps his fingers twice in front of my face. I look at the fingers, then at him. Then the fingers again.

I then realize he had understood what I said. I also realize I had been speaking... something similar to Japanese. I almost freak out, but the man in front of me chuckles and draws my attention before I can get that wound up.

"Well, it appears that it was a success. Congratulations! You can now speak Continental!" he tells me.

To which I smoothly reply, "Wait... What?!"

Suffice to say, I am confused. This whole week has been one thing after another. I really wish I hadn't put in that cheat code.

_Was it really a week ago? It almost feels like a lifetime away..._

One of the few good things about Master Zangan's training is that it doesn't give me a lot of time to ponder my situation. Between running for my life in the morning, strength training in the afternoon, and having moves drilled into my body in the evening, I've just been too tired to think by the time the day is through.

Although, now I have a wizard in my tent.

"I'll explain it all later. For now, introductions. You may call me Tellah," he says soothingly. He reaches out with his wrinkled hand, which seems riddles with scars, callouses, and other markings that I don't know what to call. They look similar, but are different enough to be something else. These are clearly hands with history.

I take it firmly and give it a good shake, noting the strength he has in his old fingers. "Kae Lin," I reply with a nod.

Zangan then calls us out for breakfast, which smells like last night's pork and beans. The fact that monsters haven't attacked our campsite since the second night says plenty about Zangan's fearsome might. If I ever write a story about my adventures in this world, I will definitely do what I can to let the readers know just how monsterously, horrifyingly strong Master Zangan is, even in his old age.

After we eat, Tellah speaks up. "Now, I believe I owe you an explaination?"

With that sentence, he has my undivided attention. He knows it too, judging from the glint in his eye. "How you can suddenly speak Continental will be covered in the material I will be teaching you, for I am to be your magic instructor, since you claim you are so in love with it."

I do not go into shock for a moment, nor do I squeal in glee. I most definitely do not get up and do a happy, 'Oh my God this is the best thing EH-VAAR!' dance, and anyone who says otherwise is either a fiend, a liar, or a lawyer.

Once I calm down and stop thanking him profusely, a heavy hand lands on my shoulder. "Glad you like it, but you need a strong body if you're going to be using materia. Let's get back to training shall we?"

_Oh dear God, why did I ever think this was a good idea?_

* * *

**Location: Somewhere on Mt. Nibel, Zangan's Campsite**

**Date and Time: June 2, [ μ ] εуλ 0000, 1:20 PM**

It's been three days since Tellah showed up, but so far he's only asked to look over my notes. As much as I'd like to keep them to myself, I wasn't really going to deny the man about to teach me magic. I handed over what I had, but made sure to point out that much of my research consisted of details taken from lore and fiction.

Surprisingly, he asked me last night where the rest of it was. I was only able to appologize for being unable to show him everything, since a good deal of my work is also burned into many CDs. I have the CDs on me, but there aren't any computers in Nibelheim with a CD-ROM drive. Plenty of three and a half floppy drives on the computers in the ShinraMansion, but nothing compatable with the disks in my CD case.

I can't help but think about how odd this is, but I am also glad I didn't use DVDs. If I did, who knows when I'd get the rest of my notes? I have far too many disks full of research notes for me to wait years to access them. Which I realize is a lot of notes.

The industry word count standard for publishing novels is somewhere between fifty thousand and one hundred thousand words. A text document with about ten thousand words is approximately forty-five kilobytes. A megabyte is one thousand twenty-four kilobytes, and each disk can hold up to seven hundred megabytes. I currently have one full disk of just text and three with just pictures as master copies, in addition to a couple dozen with short clips of magical scenes from various fictional media that are organized by subject. The text disk alone is worth at least one thousand, five hundred and ninety novels.

That is a _lot_ of notes.

Well, the disks are mostly because it got to the point where I couldn't carry all my books with me everywhere, so I started using my laptop to help me take notes. Unfortunately for me, I didn't pack that. If I had, them maybe I could properly discuss some of my theories regarding spells that bypass the second law of thermodynamics with someone who actually uses magic. I can't remember my many ideas off the top of my head, since there are so many.

A polite cough interupts my musing. I turn to old man Tellah, who is the only person it could be since Zangan wouldn't give me a warning like that, to see him handing me back my bag of books. I gladly take it.

I immediately notice the weight is off. I've carried these books far too long and far too often to not know how heavy they are. I quickly check inside for what's missing, but nothing is. Everything is there, where they belong.

Then I see the sigil sewn into the inside pocket. I can't read it, but it appears similar to the Sanskrit writing for 'weightlessness.' Which is confusing, because I don't know how to read Sanskrit, let alone speak it. Then again, I couldn't speak the Japanese-like Continental three days ago, either.

"Tellah, sir... what... exactly did you do to me?" I ask slowly.

"You're a smart young man. Why don't you tell me?" he prods, smiling knowingly.

So I do the only thing I really can; hunker down and think.

_From what I can discern, he implanted entire languages that I've never spoken into my mind. For the past three days I've been testing myself, seeing what new languages I knew and how they connect to this world. Of course, I had to do this while I was running away from Master Zangan, so it mostly consisted of me spewing obscenities at him. He responded by helpfully telling me what language I was speaking at the time, before unhelpfully knocking me out._

_Anyway, English is Anglish, spoken by the people of Sacae. Spanish known as Costan, and is spoken by the people of Costa de Sol. Mandarin Chinese is north Wutaian and Cantonese is south Wutaian. Wutaian language is split into north and south due to them having an entire continent to themselves, so there is plenty of history I still don't have. Continental is very similar to Japanese. At the same time, however, it is completely different._

_Apparently it _used_ to be Japanese, but became something else over time. Many of the words in the Continental language _sound_ Japanese, but are definitely not Japanese. Like the word "akuma." In Japanese, it means something akin to "devil." It is the Continental word for "barbeque." Not impossible to logically connect, but it is very odd sometimes. In any case, I've been trying to default to that._

_The people of Nibelheim speak German, although it is called Bernese in this world. I find this hilarious, considering Bern is the de facto captial of Switzerland and Nibelheim is Norse for Frozen Hell. Besides the part where it should be freezing my fingers off, there's also the connection between the North Germanic Norse town name and the West Germanic name for their other West Germanic language._

_Still, I have no idea where the Sanskrit comes from. Zangan didn't recognize it when I was swearing at him, and the only reason I can tell what it looks like is because of my studies into magic and potentially magical languages. My only guess is that it's a spellcasting language since a rune for lightening weight looks similar to the word for 'weighlessness,' but the only people in Final Fantasy VII who could cast spells without materia are the Cetra._

_Speaking of which, it was the Cetra's knowledge of the planet that allowed them to cast spells. It is this same knowledge that is drawn up from the planet by materia to cast spells. Considering that Cetra were the only ones who could speak to the planet, it wouldn't be too far of a stretch to say that the knowledge neccesary to use magic comes from the planet itself. That is to say, the ability to use magic in this world is to draw upon the power of the planet. Not an entirely unheard of concept, but in this case one would specifically drawing on knowledge, although the energy source is still an unknown._

_Wait... Drawing? Drawing, as in 'to pull out knowledge of another in order to cast spells?' Sounds familiar... Perhaps...?_

"An advanced application of Para-Magic?" I mumble to myself, not actually intending to voice my thoughts.

Still, that was apparently the right thing to say. Tellah bursts out with laughter, startling me and making me jump. "Oho ho ho ho! I knew there was something special about you, young man. Tell me, where are you from?"

A chill travels up my spine. "Zangan tells me you are from a hidden Sacaean village, but I don't buy it for a moment. Why don't you tell me how you got to this planet, Traveller?" Tellah continues on jovially, but there is an underlying tone that is picked up by my soul rather than my ears. This tone tells me be honest, or else.

_Why are all the old men I've met here so scary?_

I wonder for a moment if I could get away with not telling him, but he seems the type that would push for answers. The impression I get of him so far is that of someone who seeks knowledge for the sake of knowing, like the Traditional Magi of Fate/Stay Night. Their rules care not for morals, only maintaining the secrecy of Magecraft and the relentless pursuit of knowledge. Zangan isn't here at the moment, and if Tellah can perform a reverse draw to place information in my head, who is to say he couldn't just take the info he wants anyways?

I breath deeply before saying anything. "I'd rather not talk about it, but I don't think you'll let me get away with that, will you?"

He just smiles wider. I sigh, my fears confirmed. "I come from a world where magic is complete fiction. There are no spellcasters, no magi. Just science. The only magic you'll find there is-"

"In the stories, correct?" Tellah cuts in, taking amusement in my surprise. Before I can ask how he knew, he continued speaking. "Don't look at me like that, you practically told me yourself. Think back on it."

I do, and realize he is right. I told him my notes came from various fiction, and fiction usually only spreads around as gossip or stories. I also have plenty of knowledge and no experience. I suppose that is rather telling, too. Still, it could just be that no one was willing to teach me or that no mages were left in my 'hidden villiage.'

The blue robed man chuckles. "Well, we all have our secrets. I'll not pry into your past if you promise not to pry into mine. Now, tell me how you came to the conclusion of Para-Magic. Your thought processes may be important for your training."

"The basis of Para-Magic is the drawing of knowledge from another entity in order to cast a spell," I state automatically. "The energy used for said spell is entirely separate from the knowledge, and often supplied by the caster. In the case of the inscribed words in my bag, they are in a language that is apparently not spoken by anyone alive today. Zangan, a well traveled man of some reknown, could not identify a language with similar writing, so I assume it to be a dead language.

Working on that assumtion, then it must be related to the Cetra, a nigh extinct people who are known for their spellcasting. It is said that materia 'draw up' the knowledge of the Ancients, or the Cetra, from the planet. So the only plausible explaination is that you used this Idea to learn Para-Magic, then honed it over many years to allow you to perform a reverse draw, planting the information in my mind instead of taking it."

Tellah doesn't speak for a long moment, and it makes me start to worry. _Was my analysis incorrect? Did I say something I shouldn't have? Maybe I shouldn't have assumed that Zangan wouldn't know this language? He didn't recognized three of the languages I swore at him in, and I can't clearly remember if this is one of them. Oh, right... the Cetra are supposed to be completely extinct. For me to say that they're not could get the ones remaining badly hurt._

My fears are pushed to the back of my mind, however, when a small net bag with three green, glowing orbs is hung in front of my face. I look up and see a familiar calloused hand is holding them. I smile and snatch up the materia eagerly.

I hear Zangan say something to Tellah, but I'm not paying very much attention. Too busy inspecting the materia. How they look, how they feel on both a physical and spiritual level, although I couldn't really tell with the latter.

After some trial and error of attempting to get the materia to work, I figure out that it isn't _just_ concentration that I need, but a strong mental trigger. Something to shock the knowledge and power out of my brain, down my arm and out into the world. I immediately pull out my notebook to write down all that I've learned today, completely ignoring the burn mark in the large stone at the edge of camp.

"Well, looks like you've gone and gotten him excited, old friend," Zangan grumbles in fake irritation. I try to ignore him in favor of writing.

Tellah hums. "Hmm... No, I do believe the boy is just lacking in real experience. His passion is his own, and his knowledge is not lacking. Why, if he had any true exp-"

"Hush!" I interrupt sharply, "I'm writing!"

Zangan just laughs loudly, commenting on how the blue robed mage is teaching me his bad habits before even showing them to me. Tellah, on the other hand, realizes I have trouble multi-tasking. He frowns.

It is not a good idea to make Tellah frown.

* * *

**Location: Nibelheim, Shinra Mansion, 2nd Floor**

**Date and Time: June 12, [ µ ] εуλ 0000, 4:13 PM**

I wipe the chalkboard hastily and prepare myself, piece of chalk in one hand and materia in the other.

_Draw up the knowledge. Pull the trigger. Hold just before firing. Write the knowledge. Release._

In moments, I have written several parts to a long equation. It looks incomplete, and just as the knowledge I drew from the materia feels incomplete. It's a little hard to look at.

"Again!" Tellah barks, and in moments I'm repeating the exercise.

While Master Zangan has continued to train me in the mornings and evenings, Tellah has taken it upon himself to teach me magic during the day. So far, I haven't even finished with the first exercises he's cooked up for me. Despite his assurances that I'm proceeding at an astonishing rate, I can't help but feel I could do more.

"Again!"

Before we even began, he explained a few things to me that really helped to clear up some of my confusion. Apparently, the materia themselves act as a medium for spells, channeling both the knowledge and energy of the planet. The Cetra spoke Latin and Arabic as common languages, had Sanskrit as a holy language, and Greek as a casting language. I want to know more, but he told me I would have to earn it.

"Again!"

So I threw myself whole-heartedly into learning to write things down as they enter my mind. I'm certain I've been writing the same thing over and over now, but I can't recognize it at all since the Knowledge of the Ancients doesn't stay in the mind after casting. This is because the Knowledge and the energy must leave the caster together in order to properly form the spell.

"Again!"

If one were to leave but not he other, the spell would not work. Though, that isn't to say that there are not benefits to doing it like that. If the energy is kept but not the knowledge, then the caster is spiritually revitalized as if they had used a Tincture. If the Knowledge is kept but not the energy, then the Knowledge that makes up the spell can be accumulated until mastery is achieved, while energy is harmlessly returned to the planet.

"Again!"

Which is kind of the point of Para-Magic. Draw a bunch of Knowledge from another until you have complete understanding of a spell. Until two hundred percent understanding is achieved, the Knowledge will degrade by one percent every time I cast the spell. In Final Fantasy VIII, I suppose one 'stock' is equal to one percent of the knowledge for the spell, though it would be the Guardian Force providing the energy for it. This type of casting assumes _I_ have the necessary mystical energy to do so.

"Again!"

That's what this exercise is for. To get me used to the feeling of drawing up the Knowledge and Energy, and to get an idea of how to split them from each other before I cast the spell. At the end of every half hour, Tellah tests my ability to separate energy from Knowledge. Ethers are taken as needed.

"Again!"

Another thing I had clarified is that Mental Energy (MP) and Spiritual Energy (SP) are different. While both forms of Energy are non-physical and restored through rest, casting magic via materia does not require Spiritual Energy since it is provided by the planet. Para-Magic requires the caster to use their own. Either way, casting can be very tiring in ways that are somewhat difficult to describe. Fortunately, there are drinks to restore either Energy. Ethers restore MP and Tinctures restore SP.

"Again!"

In any case, I've been cycling between the Fire, Cure, and Barrier materia that Zangan got for me. I was wondering where the Barrier came from, since they're supposed to be pretty rare, but apparently Tellah has some mastered materia and their spawn stashed somewhere. All Zangan had to do was retrieve them, though I still appreciate the gesture.

After all, I'm throwing _fireballs._

*Thwack!*

"Quit getting distracted! It's time to swap materia!" the mage scolds.

Nursing the bump on my head, I agree that it is time to switch to my Cure. The old man hits surprisingly hard for a guy so thin. Then again, Zangan's been training me to make sure I can too. That isn't the point, though.

_Lesson learned. Eccentric old men make for amazing teachers, but their training is usually hell. Someone please save me already._

Although I think that, I am not unwilling. At least, not with magic. I'll never be as good at martial arts as Tifa, who'll have trained from a younger age and make it her main combat focus. Not only does she have the advantage of a young body that hasn't finished growing, but she also has a young mind that will learn quicker.

"Again!"

_I'm twenty-two, old enough to drink but not old enough to be a... something. Actually, if I had actually worked at anything, I could likely have been whatever I wanted by now. I'm not dumb, and I don't lack charisma. Back home, I could totally have been doing whatever I wanted. Except magic, the one thing I really wanted._

"Again!"

It was a source of frustration for both me and my parents, who put up with me. I had little to no plan for the future. I had nothing I was passionate about that could be used to turn a real profit. I also had difficulty not being difficult, though I can't say I've grown out of that yet.

"Again!"

Regardless, I realize I have no idea what I'm going to do once I'm trained. Zangan was probably training me enough so that I could travel, and Tellah for reasons I don't understand. Best I can figure, it's either pity or amusement. Though, it could also be that Tellah wants info on my world, since his question lets me know he is at least aware of multiple realities.

"Again!"

Still, it would be nice to know what he wants. I might even give it to him, provided it doesn't lessen me in some way and it wouldn't get in the way of my plans for the future. Which currently amounts to nothing. Once again, I have no plans for the future.

*Thwack* _Ouch._

"Stop letting your mind wander, boy!"

* * *

**Location: Nibelheim, Shinra Mansion, Basement**

**Date and Time: July 9, [ µ ] εуλ 0000, 9:00 PM**

Aside from figuring out and writing down the vault combination, I found something important three days ago. I didn't actually think I'd find it down here in the basement of Shinra Mansion, but here it is. It existence is irrefutable. In my hands I hold the research notes of both Project S and the SOLDIER Program. Not all of them, of course, but what appears to be most of them.

Naturally, I have spent the past three nights copying all of it to disk. I found out that .txt files are apparently multiversal, for which I am thankful. Still... I was thinking that such powerful company secrets would be better secured than this. Then again, it _is_ a hidden secret lab. I don't think anyone outside Hojo and a select few others know of this place's existence.

As for why I am down here in the first place... well, I was curious. Ever since I completed the exercises that Tellah gave me I've had some free time after dinner. That isn't to say he's stopped training me. Rather, he started drilling me on how to use Para-Magic in actual combat. It's been painful, but I can cast base level Fire, Cure, and Barrier now without materia. Unfortunately, I need to level up the materia in order to get the higher level spells. In the meantime, I was given a Lightning, Ice, and Heal to train with next.

In any case, I had spare time and a burning curiosity. I took the time to find the switch, climbed down the totally unsafe stairwell, and then went through book after book in the mansion's basement for weeks. I can't say I'm displeased with the results.

I think I'll ask Tellah about putting a sigil for Mini on my bag so I can carry more stuff. Actually, I'll ask him to teach me sigils and runes in general. I'd like to know how to use those.

* * *

**Location: Somewhere on Mt. Nibel, Zangan's Camp**

**Date and Time: July 31, [ µ ] εуλ 0000, 6:46 PM**

It's training time with Zangan, and I am again having my ass handed to me by his training. This time, though, it isn't entirely unwelcome. After all, it helps to have a professional opinion when creating your own fighting style.

Using what Tellah has taught me about sigils, runes, and talimans, in addition to what notes I have on the subjects, I have gone about re-creating a fighting style similar to Sheena Fujibayashi from Tales of Symphonia. That is to say, a style that uses a deck of specially (and magically) treated paper talismans as extensions of my body to attack, block, and a whole slew of other things. It isn't as rigid as the video game version of course, but the concept of using talismans to fight appeals to the mage in me.

It also appeals to the ninja in me, but I'll not say that while the Wutai War is still going on.

The past few weeks have given it a solid foundation, but it will probably be a little while longer before it can be used in a fight proper. Since it is a style for casting magic in battle, I've also been busy working on leveling up my materia and increasing my 'stocks' of Para-Magic. In order to complete the style, there is only one thing left to start working on.

"Master Zangan, how do you make a Limit Break?"

Like most questions I ask the Red-Caped Monster, I'm probably going to regret asking this. However, Tellah already told me what he knows about Limit Breaks and, while it was facinating, it doesn't help nearly as much as I'd like in the creation of them.

A 'Desperation Attack,' as Tellah puts it, is the body's natural usage of magic in an attempt to rid itself of an extreme threat on its life. Highly skilled fighters, such as SOLDIERs, Ninjas, and Zangan, can learn to force it to happen when their life isn't nearly in as much danger. They do this by pushing themselves to their limit, then past it. Thus a 'Limit Break.'

These 'Limit Breaks' require two things in order to be effective, the first of which is an opportunity. If the attack fails, there really wasn't much point to use it in the first place, so you can't use them carelessly. The second requirement is an energy to channel.

Most SOLDIERs use the Mako inside their bodies, and almost all of them learn to perform Braver. Ninja use a special power called Chakra, usually to increase their speed to insane levels in order to strike like a bolt of Greased Lightning. Martial Artists like Zangan learn to harness their Chi for devestating, almost supernatural combos that start with a Beat Rush and only get more painful from there.

Which is why I am asking Zangan how to make one. All of that info is nice and all, but it doesn't give me a real clue as to how I'm supposed to perform a Limit Break at all, and most of them are personal. Custom made by a fighter for his or her own personal use. Despite this, Zangan has made Limit Breaks before, and will probably teach as many as he can to Tifa, even before she can use them. If there was ever a man to ask about this topic, it's Zangan.

Zangan smiles. It's a soft, comforting smile, like one someone might expect from a grandfather soothing a crying child. It would make me feel totally at ease and leave me with the feeling that I am in good hands...

If he wasn't still kicking my ass six ways from Sunday.

_Man... this is going to suck, isn't it?_

* * *

**Location: Nibelheim, Town Square**

**Date and Time: August 1, [ µ ] εуλ 0000, 9:15 AM**

It was decided last night over a dinner of potato soup that Zangan would be taking me on a training trip to the Kalm. The red-caped man has an old friend in Cosmo Canyon that he hasn't seen in ages, and was thinking of dropping by. If I were to go as well, he could introduce me to some people who know a thing or two about medicine while using the trip there to get me some actual battle experience. That was as far as we were supposed to go.

Then Tellah proposed extenting the trip out to Banora so that I could know the taste of Banora White Juice, to which Zangan heartily agreed. His friend, who he refused to name, owns a Gold Chocobo and would be all too happy to lend it to us, as long as we send it back with a crate of Banora Whites. The two old men laughed a lot over that, so I can only assume I missed out on an amazing inside joke.

I remembered that Banora is near Mideel soon after, which is just a River Chocobo ride away from the Sacaean Plains, now known as the Grassland Area. I suggested going there so I could see what it is like. I may or may not have played on my supposed Sacaean heritage, but that isn't important. In the end, it was decided that we'd all meet up in Tellah's home in Kalm before going our separate ways.

Before we go, however, Master Zangan insists I spend a day in town while he resupplies. The first thing on his list was for me to do is get new clothes. The ones that I had arrived in have been patched up so many times by now that they might as well be a completely different set, and my two spare sets that Tellah brought for me early on don't seem to exist anymore. The moment we enter the town gates, Master Zangan lends me ten thousand gil and drops me off at the accessory shop.

Looking around, I admit that they have several wardrobes that I might be interested in. Figuring I might as well get it over with, I shuffle about the clothes they have, assembling an outfit to my satisfaction. I grab a White Cape and a Star Pendant as well, just in case. For a caster to allow themselves to be Silenced is a fatal error, and being Poisoned would cause unneeded distractions.

Peering into the changing room mirror now, I think I've done a fairly decent job. I've worked my outfit to be the same as Soren from Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance, a black/green mage garb with gold trim. However, I added a pair of black slacks which I have tucked into my new leather boots. The store owner was kind enough to, for a small fee, turn my White Cape into a cloak. For another small fee, he was willing sew a layer of the same colored material as my new shirt onto the outside of my White Cape. I never particularly cared for wearing white.

I'm pleased to say that the man didn't try to talk to me too much, nor try to get me to buy more than what I asked for. While sometimes helpful, I find it somewhat annoying. I know the it's just the job sometimes, but that doesn't mean I want to talk. At all. The fact that I'm afraid I'll slip up and speak the wrong language doesn't really help. Not when I'm still getting used to making Continental my default language.

In the end, I pay for my new outfit, which I make sure to have several sets of. I also swap the Star Pendant for four packs of hair ties and two more pairs of hiking socks, as I only remember that I've Drawn 100 stocks of Poisona once I'm getting out my money to pay. I put on my new clothes and place the rest in my Bag of Holding, then proceed to leave the shop a happy man.

The best part of that little adventure is that, since Tellah taught me to enchant my Bags of Holding so they Miniaturize their contents, I can carry extra clothes and supplies now, not to mention books. Once he had done that, I started to wear only one of my ninja belt-pouches, placing it on the backside of my right hip since my Bag of Holding with camping supplies tends to shift to my left. The bandolier, other ninja pouch, and book-filled bag are carried inside the bag I actually wear to decrease the burden it is on my movement.

Well, it's also just because I can. After all, if this were Faerun or a Dungeons and Dragons world, dropping a Bag of Holding into another Bag of Holding could be dangerous.

_Or was that the Portable Hole? I can't remember. Oh well, I'm not dead and that's what matters._

The sun is high in the sky by the time I finish shopping for supplies, and my stomach decides I should buy some lunch. Unfortunately, the only place I know of that sells food in this town is the Nibel Inn. I start walking that way, fully intending to get a quick bite from their lunch menu, when I see something out of the corner of my eye. A bright, yellow something.

_Chocobo? No, it's Cloud._

Cloud Strife. Back home, he has become one of the great icons of the old era of video games, along with Mario, Sonic the Hedgehog, Donkey Kong, Pac Man, and Crash Bandicoot. The main protagonist of Final Fantasy VII, it was with his game that the popular Final Fantasy series was brought to the new and wondrous world of 3D gaming. For a long time, it was quite a big deal.

Now, an icon of my youthful playtime fantasies stands half hidden behind a nearby house, peeking out at something across the way. Turning my head, I see that that something is actually the other kids playing. I look back at the young Cloud and note how lonely his eyes are.

_Huh. It appears that, once again, I cannot resist the temptation._

I casually walk up behind the chocobo-haired kid, taking great care to make sure he doesn't notice me. For a moment, I have second thoughts about what I am about to do. Only for a moment, however. I force myself not to snicker aloud as I get nearer. As soon as I'm right up behind him, I cup my hands to my mouth and lean to his ear.

"Heyyo~!"

Cloud jumps and spins around, hand clutched to his heart and panic etched into his face.

I can't help but laugh. He reminds me of a deer caught in the headlights, and I'm tempted to call him out on it. I don't, though. Instead, I just smile at him in what I hope is a friendly manner.

"Hey there, bucko! What're you doin' all the way over here by yourself?" This is, of course, in Continental, so what I actually say is much more polite. Continental is derived from Japanese, and Japanese is a very polite language, not to mention very different from my native tongue. I just translate it to English in my head. I'm not yet fluent enough to think in the foreign language, despite the magical means by which it learned it.

Cloud is quick to clam up awkwardly. "N-nothing..." he stutters out, as if he were guilty of something.

I raise an eyebrow. "Nuttin', huh? Well, then you've got time to show a weary traveler some place he can get some decent food, right?"

The little chocobo-haired boy hesitates, and I realize I might sound like I'm bullying him into it. "Hey, you don't have to. I can ask around, I suppose. I just thought it'd be nice to have some company," I tell him, hands slightly raised so he knows I'm not trying to force him.

Kid Cloud takes a moment to think about it. In the meantime, I attempt to burn image of the small boy into my memory. The kid is going to be a hero someday, but he may never remember his childhood. It'd be nice if someone could tell him a bit about it.

He's small. Smaller that I thought he was. For a thirteen, maybe fourteen year old boy, he's really short. He can't be any taller than four and a half feet.

_God, he's short._

"If you're a traveler," Cloud says, looks up at me expectantly, "Then... maybe you have news on how the war is going?"

I almost roll my eyes. How could I have forgotten that Cloud is, at this time, a Sephiroth fan boy? Well, I should have expected that I won't remember everything clearly. It isn't like I have a perfect memory, after all.

"Ah... No, not really. Sorry, bud," I inform him, scratching my cheek. Before he gets a chance to be depressed, however, I continue enthusiastically. "Oh, but I was able to see some dragons get taken out by Sephiroth himself!"

_Technically true... if you count playing the scene where he does so in the game._

Cloud's eyes sparkle. "Tell me."

* * *

**Location: Nibelheim, Nibel Inn**

**Date and Time: August 1, [ µ ] εуλ 0000, 10:21 PM**

A hot meal and one (largely embellished) story later, I've made a new friend. I still had some time, so we got to talking about swords. That conversation took an hour and half all by itself, though it was very enlightening.

For one, apparently Bernese is also a derived language. The only reason I know at all is that by little brother used to study German in high school. There was a time when he just wouldn't speak English until someone hit him over the head. There's never been a time when he would actually be quiet.

Speak of my motor-mouth little brother, I hope that one day my magical studies will allow me to go home. If only for a little while, I'd like to see my family. I miss them terribly, though I can't afford to dwell on it.

In any case, another thing I discovered is that Cloud can barely read Continental. He can speak it fairly well, but it seems that his knowledge on the written word is lacking. One would think he could get some practice reading the Shinra newspaper, but it is apparently translated to the local language first.

Eager to help, I foolishly promised to help teach him without checking with Zangan or Tellah. The lessons were fairly simple, and Cloud seems to have gotten most of what little I could teach him. However, by the time I realized I was making my own mentors wait, the sun was starting to set.

Some part of me expected to get scolded, but I was allowed the chance to explain myself. After Zangan teased me relentlessly for appearing to take all day to choose a single outfit, that is. Regardless of that little encounter scaring the heck out of me, it was a good day.

Supplies have been bought and packed, a room rented for the night, and all that remains is for me to write down what I learned today. Just small things, like how Cloud is really short and energetic, and how he can't read Continental very well. Just something to help me remember these days in the future.

As I lay down to sleep, I ponder on what I might do about the last thing I learned about the boy. In truth, it is more like being reminded of something I had forgotten, but that is not the point. The point is that Cloud Strife's birthday is August 11th, and I'll be leaving early in the morning.

Before I can think further on the matter, there is a light knock at the door. Being 'young and sprightly,' Tellah tells me I should get the door. There may or may not have been grumblings about young whippersnappers and old men needing their sleep.

Lightly stepping across the room, I wonder who it could be. Zangan and Tellah are in bed, and I don't really know anyone else aside from Cloud. Even then, I don't think Cloud would be visiting this late.

_Maybe it's room service?_

"Yes?" I question with some slight irritation, peeking my head out the door to find out who is interrupting my sleeping time. My ire turns to surprise when I see a head of chocobo yellow hair waiting at the door. "Oh! Hey there Cloud. What're you doin' up at this time of night?"

The kid shushes me and looks around warily. After a moment, he turns back to me. "I'm not supposed to be. Will you meet me in front of the Shinra Mansion's gates? I want to show you something," Cloud whispers.

I take a few seconds to think about it, but ultimately decide to tell him I'll meet him there. I watch him skitter off before closing the door. I quietly tell the elder men that I'll be back later, then quickly dress and zip out the door. I suppress a giddy chuckle.

_I wonder what new things he'll show me about this world next?_

Upon arriving, Cloud gestures for me to follow him. So I follow him as he walks along the fence line of the mansion. When he starts climbing up some vines that are hidden just out of view from the road, I climb up after him. When he crawls into a small cave entrance at the back of a rocky ledge that hangs over and behind the Shinra Mansion... I let him do whatever it is he is doing, since there is no way that even two of /him/ could fit, let alone the both of us.

I don't have to wait long. Cloud returns with a book in hand, which he proudly hands to me. Looking over it, the book is very old. The pages are yellowed leaves of very non-uniform shape, the cover and binding are made of an unknown type of worn leather, and the book is kept closed via a knob and a strand of leather that had most definitely seen better days. The image of a serrated leaf is imprinted in the center of the front cover.

I look to Cloud in awe. He points back to the hole in the wall. "There's a treasure chest in there. That's where I found it last spring," he says in a nonchalant manner. Having been a kid once myself, I can tell that he's trying to impress me further by his tough attitude. Funnily enough, it only makes me think of what a cute kid he is.

_Yeah, the tough kid act never worked on anyone._

"Kae Lin! I'm letting you have it as proof of friendship, so you can't lose it!" Cloud says suddenly, shocking me with his proclamation. After all, I have only known him for a day. Can we be friends so soon?

Part of me cries out that it is preposterous, that even a child cannot trust so easily so soon. A different part of me says that it is precisely because he is a child that he is willing to call me friend so soon. Finally, another entirely asks the question that always gets me into trouble. Soon I am unable to resist its siren call and am forced to give voice to said question with a smile on my face. "Hmm... Sure, why not?" I tell him, "I'll take good care of it."

He opens his mouth to speak, but I raise a finger and continue. "In return, however, you have to work on your Continental. That way we can go travelling together someday, all right?"

Cloud tilts his head in thought, then nods. Under the starry sky and the shadow of the Nibel Mountains, we shake hands, smiling like a two doofuses who think something totally awesome just happened. I ignore the nagging feeling that something is off the entire time.

* * *

**A/N: So here it is. Chapter numero dos. Numbuh 2. The Second. ... Yeah. Don't quite know what else to say.**

**... Hugs please?**

**So, yes. Writing "Critical Hit! It's Massively Effective!" (or CHIME, as one of the readers told me in a PM) has been fairly depressing for me due to my writing methods. Getting into the head of Kei Cheung is... well... ugh. Still, I will plug on along until I am satisfied! ... and I am in no way satisfied by chapter 5. It isn't so much what I wrote as what I didn't write. It still feels incomplete. =[**

**Anyway, I thought it might be time to switch over to a different story for a while so I don't burn out. I'm still stuck on "This Merry Ol' Mercenary Band," and the other two may never be continued due to their nature. That left me with this.**

**I'm glad, though. It's about time I returned to this.**

**That reminds me, what do you all think about how I have explained some of the aspects of magic as it pertains to FF7 and FF8? Don't worry, I'll be connecting summons in. ... I just need to figure out when and how it would be appropriate. XD**

**Okay, well... That's enough for tonight.**

**... That is all.**

**-Maxxus Herald**


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